Submarine signaling device.



. G. H. WALKER.

SUBMARINE SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. l9l7.

' 1,300,062. Patented Apr. 8; 1919.

GEORGE WALKER, OF WILLOW GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA.

v SUBMARINE SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 2, 1917. Serial No. 165,912.

To all whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, GEORGE H. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Willow Grove, in the county of.Montgomcry and State of Pennsylvania, have in-' vented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification. 4

The object of this invention is to provide a device for-detecting the presence of bodies I submerged beneath the surface of an ocean, harbor, or river, or to indicate shallow depths when sounding during thecharting of river beds, or the like.

Another object is to more particularly provide a device, which can be suspended from one or-more ships, and'trailed through the water, and which upon encountering a submerged body lying in itspath will imme- 'merged body of iron, or steel, as for instance,

a submarine or mine, will cling or adhereto the same, by magnetic attraction, and continue to signal the latters presence until released therefrom. A further object is to provide such a device and mechanism connected therewith, whichwill give both an audible and a visible alarm or indication of the presence of the said submerged body.

And a still further object is to provide a device of this character which will positively operate when coming into contact with 'a body when in any one of an indefinite number of positions.

These and additional objects and details of the construction of the preferred embodi ment of'the invention are fully brought out in the, following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing a series of the devices embodying the invention in its preferred form suspended beneath the surface of a body of water; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections for the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one magnet unit; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail elevational view of the exposed end portion of one of the said'magnets.

Referring to the drawings, a suitable frame 1 is suspended by means of spaced cables 2, or the .like, from a ship (not shown), or from a suitable support extending across the surface of a given body of Water, while from said frame is suspended by means of chains 3, one or more spiders r,

provided with shoulders 5, to which are se- Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

cured electro-magnets 6 having soft iron' cores 7.

Said magnets extend-radially fromsaid spider and are connected at their outer ends by a preferably circular guard 8, which per- 'mits the magnets as a unit to roll along the side of a submerged body such as a submarine until the latter is in contact with oneof the outwardly spring-pressed electric switches 9 of a non-magnetic metal, such as bronze, brass, or any metal in fact other than iron and steel, said switches being pivotally mounted between spaced ears 10 carried by the magnet spool 6, and cooperating with a contact point 11, also carried in a suitable manner by, yet insulated from, said spool.

The switches 9 are each provided with a centrally disposed aperture 12 through which the outer end of the neighboring core 7 extends, when the said switch is pressed against the said contact'point by a body with which it is in engagement. Referring to Fig. 2, a

source of electric current 13 normally ener as soon as one of these magnets thus energized comes into close proximity to a body made of iron or steel (not shown), it tends to cling theretountil it is forcibly removed therefrom".

As this action takes place, the closing of the adjacent switch 9 completes a circuit through the wires 16, 17 and 18, bell 19, current source 20, and relay coils 21, thus audibly notifying those in the vicinity of the condition of affairs beneath the waters surface. By the closing of the armature 22 u on energizing the coils 21, a circuit inc uding the source of electricit 13 and one or more lamps 23 (or other vlsible indicator) is closed, making both an audible and weights 24 are secured to each of the spi ders 4, while connectin said units are flexi-'- a greater distance apart than the wi th of a the guard permits the former to roll slightly until one of the said magnet cores comes into contact with the said body, after which the former adheres to the latter, and signals this fact to the watchers above, by closing the adjacent switch 9;

In the understanding of the principles of this invention, it .should be noted that an attempt has been made to illustrate only the essential features thereof, without endeavoring to perfect all of the details and relative sizes of the various parts, this being left to those engineers particularly 'quali ed for such work, and it is therefore obvious that the interpretation of the several claims should not be limited to the exact form shown in the accompanying drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United, States is 1. In a submarine signalin device, an electro-m'agnet, and an electrlc switch in close proximity to said magnet, said magnet being adapted to contact with and cling to an iron or steel body, and the said switch adjacent thereto being closed thereby,

2. In a submarine signaling device, a plurality of radially directed normally energized electro-magnets, a yoke to secure said magnets together, and a switch associated 'with each magnet adapted to be closed by body in contact with the core of the magnet ad acent thereto, and comprising a pivotably mounted'contact member provided with an aperture through which the adjacent magnet core projects.

3. In a submarine signaling device, a ra-1 dially directed normally energized electromagnet, comprising a core, a relatively stationary contact member secured to said maggized electro-ma gnets, means to secure the same together, a circular guard substantially surrounding said magnets, aswitch associated with each magnet and each switch being adapted to be closed by a body in contact with the magnet adjacent thereto.

7 In. testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. GEORGE H. WALKER.

Witnesses:

' J. STUART FREEMAN, WM. B. BRATTEN. 

